St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-04-23
THE RISE OF THE NILE.
Viewed by the Natives with Great
VeneratiOn.
The Night Of the "DrOp"-Measurement Of
the ''Sacred Waters''-A ..Note'' to
the Niie-A Grand Spectacular.

Inc oaracenS tnOrOughly SubJugateC
the Egyptians. and treated them with
more mildness than often falls to the
portion of the vanquishcd. II is said
the conquerors ovcrran the domains oi
science as quickly as they overcame the
Kingdoms of their neighbors, and two
centuries after the conquest. the son Of
Haroun al Raschid found, in the Valley
of the Nile. the rich fruit of 3 scientific
life. The Arabs dismantled Alexandria
and Memphis, but they built observa-
tories. and. profiting by the astrology
Of the Egyptians, studied the stars, and
gave them names familiar now to every
school-boy. And when the Caliph in
SOl sent to Charlemange, from Bagdad.
the keys Of our Saviour's sepulcher, as
apledge of esteem from the commander
Of the faithful to the greatest Of Chris
tian kings. twas the mingling Of sound
policy and delicate compliment. which,
vet marks the crafty and courteous
Arab.
The invading army found ruins 50 ex-
tensive and colossal, that the Arabic
historian concludes the ancient Egyp-
tians were long-lived giants. who were
able to move tremendous blocks of
stone by the use of magic wands.
In the year 6SS Memphis was . dead
city. infested by robbers, employed by
commercial companies, who searched
the fallen temples and sepulchers for
hidden treasures. The great UNDER
ground vaults, many miles long. es-
capped destruction. but the movable
blocks Of marble. the white walls Of the
fort, the granite temples Of the gods.
were quarries for the builders Of the
city, not named Cairo till two hundred
years after its foundations were laid.
And thus vanished Heliopolis, on the
bank of the river opposite the new cap
ital. The stones were easily transported
when the Nile was in overflow. and the
work was done rapidly and more care
lessly than is usual with Arabic artisans.
As | said. the pyramids have been
quarries, and have not been blown in
air only because danger to Cairo was
apprehended from so great an explosion.
The face of the sphinx has been a
target for Mamelukes through centuries.
They hurl their spears and level their
guns at '.the idol with infinite zest and
vigor. Still do these remains of the
Pharoahs survive. but it is only because
the worshipers of the one God revealed
by Mahomet had not the power or ma
chinery to lay them low. Iconoclasm
should have its limit, and the later
Christian learns that even idols may
have their uses. At their feet and on
their breasts are traced hieroglyphs in
valuable and irreplaceable if lost.
Far up the Nile. near the last rapid,
IL curious pagan temple containing
stone tablets with the commandments
Of Kings. and the words of hymns sung
to the Nile on festival nights when the |
overflow commences. A massive stone
table Of black granite has recently been
discovered, worked into the foundation |
OF house of Cairo. 1t is the record un-
injured Of pean devoted to the honor
of Ptolemy Softer. and in the mosque OF |
Amrou. most ancient of Egypt, are
numerous pillars. supports Of capitals |
in Greek. Roman and Byzantine work
manship. No visitor can fail to notice |
the vast number Of columns from old |
heather temples employed in the con-
struction Of Moslem sanctuaries. The
conquerors loved Cairo always, and |
lavished untold sums on it, besides the |
rich plunder afforded by the neighbor-
ing cities.
Amrou in his dispatches described the
Nile Valley as first desert, then a
sweet water lake, then a blooming
garden; the three gradations given the |
country by the river. without which
there is no life.
The night OF the seventeenth Of June
is known as the night Of the drop. From
the kingdom Of the myths, q traditional
belief comes to our times. that during
this night a mystic and magical drop
from heaven falls into the Nile. and
starts its rising. Anciently it was .
tear of Isis. the beautiful goddess with
ambrosial locks, and it fell near her
sacred home, the Isle of Philae. At
once the sympathetic river began to
swell. and Sirius looked on with a bril-
liance which outshone tho sun, for the
soul Of that star was Isis